BRIAN BURKE
CHRIS PRONGER

FRANK BROWN: Questions for Coach.

Q. Your reaction to the league's decision about Chris Pronger?
 
COACH RANDY CARLYLE: We accept the league's decision. Obviously we feel that the player did not intentionally try to hurt Dean McAmmond. It was unfortunately one of those things that happened. We have to live by the league's action. It's the rules we play under and you accept it and move on. It's a piece of adversity we have to deal with.

Q. Not the league, but Chris Pronger. I mean you said he didn't intend to hurt McAmmond. Obviously Pronger had an issue in the previous series. Are you unhappy with him for this?

COACH RANDY CARLYLE: No, I'm not unhappy with Chris Pronger. I think he's played extremely well. I think a lot of times you look upon it, the positives that Chris Pronger brings to the table far outweigh any of the negatives.

And this is a negative. These things happen. And he's been part of two of them. And the way we look at it is the player was out playing hard. His forearm or elbow, whatever you want to call it, was extended to a position that made contact with the other player. It's a hockey play and we move on. He's been suspended for one game by the NHL and we live with the suspension and we move forward.

Q. You managed to get through one situation already in these playoffs without Chris. How much of a strain does it put on things, and as you move forward in the playoffs and things theoretically get tougher, how many times can you go to the well?

COACH RANDY CARLYLE: Well, again, this group has been able to deal with adversity on numerous occasions and this one is just another one along the way. I liken it to the 13 five-on-threes that we've had to kiln in the playoffs and only receive one back.

Those are the situations, adversity. You have to deal with it; you move on and move forward.

Q. Were you surprised there was a suspension considering there wasn't a penalty on the play?

COACH RANDY CARLYLE: I don't think that has anything to do with it, because there's no penalty on the play. We think that the thing was totally unintentional. The league thought different. They made the decision. The suspension was handed down. Now we move forward.

Q. Randy, I think you were one of three last players to play without a helmet. Has hitting to the head changed since you've stopped playing, and are you alarmed by this?

COACH RANDY CARLYLE: Alarmed from the standpoint that there seems to be a lot more severe blows directed towards the head. I think from the earlier era of hockey, there was an old saying that you had to eat wood if you were going to come far enough and hard enough. And that was reality.

If somebody was putting you in a position of vulnerability, to be vulnerable to a high hit and coming across the ice and trying to direct a blow to the head, there was usually some sort of a Sherwood or Louisville hockey stick that they had to go through first. And that was accepted. The rules have changed. And that's years gone by.

And these situations, there's numerous ones that were involved in the game last night. There was another incident that went uncalled. And we think that those things have to be dealt with and they should be dealt with in the proper manner. And the league has the rules that they enforce. And we feel it's one that we have to live with.

Q. You talk about how the rules on the ice have changed among players. There was a time when being a dirty player was, didn't mind having a couple dirty players on your team. Chris Pronger will be portrayed as a dirty player now. Is he a dirty player?

COACH RANDY CARLYLE: Chris Pronger is a competitive player. I think in a lot of the situations I know people will say that he's using his size as excuse. But when you're 6-6 and you add another 2 inches, you're 6-8 on the ice and some people are only 5-10, some people only 6 foot, height disparity and that's what happens. His elbows are higher than most players' elbows. It's not like he raised his elbow to drive a blow to the individual's head. The player went to go by him and he moved his hand to the side. And that's what happens.

Q. Any update on Chris Kunitz? And secondly obviously this team has faced adversity and had poor games previously. Is this situation any different than any of those previous ones?
 
COACH RANDY CARLYLE: Well, the Chris Kunitz situation is he has an abdominal bruise. Likely to play. The adversity we've dealt with, it seems to be on a game to game basis with our team at times. And we've become a stronger group and as we've stated to the players that we will be judged by our reaction.

We can't change what happened last night. We felt we didn't play anywhere near to our capabilities. We have to make some adjustments. We have to do some things, a lot of things a lot better than what we did last night. And that will be how we'll be judged.

Q. Is there enough bad blood between these two teams that things might get far more intense, shall we say?

COACH RANDY CARLYLE: Well, I think that, you know, when you say bad blood, I think that there's some situations where when one individual was allowed to do more than another in some of the on-ice antics taking place last night and those are the things that seem to boil over. That's probably one or two individuals versus a grouping.

Obviously, when you play a team a number of times for the competition for the Stanley Cup, emotions are going to run high and everybody is reaching back. There's no easy way to win four games in the Stanley Cup Finals.

FRANK BROWN: Thanks, Coach.

Can I ask each of you for a reaction?

BRIAN BURKE: I'll go first. Colin Campbell just informed me Chris Pronger had been suspended for a game. From my perspective, we have to accept the league's decision. I think Chris, if you look at the hit, Chris' footwork wasn't right. He was trying to stop a guy, finish his check. But at the end, he stuck his arm out and got him in the head and the player's injured and we're sorry about that.

So we have to accept the fact that the league has imposed a one-game suspension here. The troubling part for me is that I think there should be, should have been another hearing today.
This was a reaction hit on a tough play. Chris Neil's hit on Andy McDonald was reprehensible. You guys go back and break down the tape, he took six strides in from the blueline, he's going full speed, full extension, elbow right to the head. Our player skates away. He gets a free pass. Their player gets hurt. Chris Pronger gets a game.

The most dangerous play in the game last night was not Chris Pronger's hit on Dean McAmmond. It was Neil's hit on Andy McDonald. That's the troubling part for us. We'll take our one game. That's Colin's job and it's a tough one and we'll take it.
But the fact that there was one hearing today is just mind-boggling to me.

CHRIS PRONGER: I think as Brian said, it was a reaction play. I stepped up to make the hit and got him with my forearm. And obviously you gotta suffer the consequences of what's come down. And it was a situation we were in last series, and certainly teammates rallied around me and rallied around one another. Certainly, we're looking for that again tomorrow.

But hopefully Dean's okay and there was no ill-will or malicious intent. It was just a reaction play that in a split second just things happen.

Q. Chris, when it's a player of your caliber, you're suspended for the second time, you're the kind of guy that your team really relies on and you won't be there for a very important game.

Is this something that you would apologize to your teammates for, and if so, what would you say to them and what can you do?

CHRIS PRONGER: I don't think I can do much other than hopefully we've learned over the course of the year to battle through adversity. We've had a number of key injuries, a number of situations throughout the course of the year. And this is a number in a long line of them.
I don't think there's any apologies that need to be made. I think they understand how I feel and the situation we're in. I don't think that's going to do anybody any good in our locker room. We need to look forward and look towards building towards Game 4 and getting better.

Q. Chris, you play the game on the edge. In light of the second suspension, are you going to have to make adjustments in your game?

CHRIS PRONGER: I don't think I can, for me to be the type of player I can be. Obviously, it's a fine line and it's getting finer and finer every year. And we have to make subtle adjustments, but I don't think I can make wholesale changes and still be the type of player I can be.

Q. Chris, for the Detroit series and now here, do you think the league is watching you more closely?

CHRIS PRONGER: (Laughing) No. I think, obviously, I've been in front of them before. And I'm now a repeat offender. And I'm sure that plays into it as it normally does in any situation.

And they did the right thing here. It's a situation where there was a head blow and that's, obviously, something that the league's trying to crack down on. And I don't blame them in any way.

BRIAN BURKE: We had a very different view of the Detroit suspension, as you all know. We felt - here we're saying we gotta take our medicine, even though it was a reaction hit. Chris got him in the head. We've got to live with that.

That one, we felt, was an entirely different circumstance where if Rob Niedermayer doesn't come in and pin the guy, it's a nothing play. So I don't think they're targeting Chris, no.

Q. You had mentioned in the previous suspension that the media played a role. Did you feel that there was any influence and will you call or talk to Dean McAmmond; did you talk to him?

CHRIS PRONGER: No, I have not. No, I don't think the media played a role in this one at all.

BRIAN BURKE: Our team spoke to Dean McAmmond. Bob Murray spoke to him.

Q. If Chris' elbow was not the most vicious incident of the night in your view, do you think the Ducks' reputation for toughness played any role in the suspension?

BRIAN BURKE: You'll have to ask Colin. We play a certain style. It's been successful for us. We're not a dirty team. We're a physical team. There's a big difference.

Q. Without the benefit of seeing that Neil hit, what do you think he should have received or what do you think should have happened in that case if you believe there should have been another hearing?

BRIAN BURKE: That's Colin's job, not mine. What I'm saying I heard Colin's conference call. He said we're going after blows to the head. You guys go back and look at that hit. Bryan Murray's quote was he couldn't believe four officials didn't see Chris' penalty. Tell me how they missed this one.

Okay. You go back and count the strides. And it's a full-fledged elbow right to his head.

Q. What was the main message of Bob Murray to Dean McAmmond today?

BRIAN BURKE: Just to see if he was all right.

Q. Brian or Chris, what do you make the fact that both went unpunished by the officials on the ice and then were disciplined by the league?

BRIAN BURKE: I can answer that. It's in the criteria itself for supplementary discipline. It's not a factor. The fact that it goes undetected, that doesn't in any way impede the league if they want to impose discipline. It never stopped me. It's right in the criteria, the fact that the incident went unpunished does not absolve you from supplementary discipline.

Q. Is there anything commonly done with officials who miss calls like this?

BRIAN BURKE: We're usually not working at this level. We're usually not working this round. I don't fault the officials. I didn't fault them. I didn't fault them on the - in the Detroit game; Robbie Niedermayer got tossed from that game. We get a one-game suspension and play half of a game without one of our better players. I didn't fault the officials then.

I've said this before when I was their boss, it's the hardest job officiating in all of pro sports. They get one look at it at ice level with guys moving at that speed and that size, they're going to make mistakes.

The fact is, we haven't complained about officiating in this series or any prior series. Our team motto is no complaints, no excuses.

So I don't fault the officials here for missing the call on Andy McDonald. I don't fault them for missing this call. The league still has the power to step in and take action.

Q. Chris, you were smart, obviously, not to comment on it after the game last night. But in hindsight, when it happened and McAmmond is on the ice, you're thinking to yourself, uh-oh, not again?

CHRIS PRONGER: I don't think that. You're hoping he's okay. And you never like seeing anybody lay on the ice like that. When a player is waving out for trainers and things like that, it's not a good feeling. And I certainly hope he's okay and hope things are going to be okay with him coming back in the series.
But it's an unfortunate situation that nobody likes to be in.

Q. I know you've been in Colin Campbell's position before so you know how tough his job is. Is this debate and discovery over what constitutes a head shot, not a head shot, is this something that should be happening in the off season as opposed to in the Stanley Cup Final?
BRIAN BURKE: I think it's on the agenda for the GM meeting tomorrow. As Chris said, we're in a contact sport and people are going to be hurt. Doesn't mean you like seeing a guy lying on the ice. Doesn't mean you encourage it.
We have to find a balance for taking shots to the head out like Chris Neil's shot, which to me was deliberate, went right at the guy and a play like this where it's a reaction hit. But even here, if the league feels even a reaction hit, we're going to go after that. We have to deal with that. The notion that we're going to take away hitting in our game because a big guy hits a little guy, and it's a hit on Connelly or a Koivu, and it happens to be a size mismatch and a guy gets a shoulder in the chops, we can't take that hit out. We can't. We've got to - what distinguishes North American hockey is the amount of body contact, and we can't ever change that.

Q. Can you put into context how difficult it is? On one hand, we exalt you as being one of the most intimidating presence in the game. Then when this sort of thing happens, we say why did it happen like that? Is it difficult to play under those circumstances?
CHRIS PRONGER: No, I don't think so. I think you kind of get used to it. I've always been one of the bigger players on the ice. You kind of get used to that.
As Brian alluded to, it's tough when you're hitting shorter guys, whether it be elbows or shoulders to the head or whatever the case may be. It's difficult to get down to that level.
But as I said earlier, I've got to play with a certain edge and a certain style of play to be effective and play to the highest level I can. And I don't think I can change that to be the type of player I am.

Q. What was the reaction, defense Colin gave to you for not suspending or reviewing the Chris Neil hit?
BRIAN BURKE: He didn't give me one.

Q. He brought it up?
BRIAN BURKE: I brought it up.

Q. He didn't say anything back?
BRIAN BURKE: He said the player wasn't injured, so mind my own business. Obviously I didn't share that view.

Q. Chris, were you aware it was McAmmond and had something been going on between you guys before that?

CHRIS PRONGER: No.
FRANK BROWN: Thank you.

OTTAWA

Reaction from Dean McAmmond - Ottawa Senators player:
"I think it should have been a suspension because it was a blow to the head. It wasn't incidental. It's not like that couldn't have been avoided." On how Dean is feeling: "I'm feeling pretty much the same as I was yesterday -- a little bit 'headachy', not feeling quite right. I'm going to do everything I can, or as little as a I can, to feel good tomorrow. I want to play but at this point in time, I'm not sure right now."

Reaction from Bryan Murray - Ottawa Senators head coach:
"I think the history of Chris Pronger comes into to help play a little bit. There was a very obvious elbow to the head. And we've adamantly gone after the fact that hits to the head cause damage and should be penalized severely. And in this case they (NHL) did it."

Reaction from John Muckler - Ottawa Senators general manager: "It's no doubt that he did this on purpose. Unfortunately, we have a player that is injured and has a concussion. And it's doubtful whether he'll be able to play on Monday. Hopefully he will. We just have to move forward."

June 3, 2007 - OFF-DAY QUOTES

OTTAWA

COACH BRYAN MURRAY
DANIEL ALFREDSSON
RAY EMERY

Q. Any update on McAmmond? I know Fisher didn't skate; it was a rest day?

COACH BRYAN MURRAY: I gave him the day to kind of get away from the skate. I made it somewhat optional to a number of the guys. McAmmond doesn't look promising, but I have talked to him very, very briefly. We'll just have to see how he recovers.

Q. Tomorrow?

COACH BRYAN MURRAY: I don't know that. We'll just have to wait and see until almost game time if there's a chance at all.

Q. Can you talk about what you're missing with McAmmond if he doesn't? Can you talk about what the team is missing if McAmmond doesn't play?

COACH BRYAN MURRAY: Well, he plays center on the line for us. It's a speed line, our energy line, I guess, you might say. Dean's got real use in the PK; him and Alfredsson are a pair. He's one of those people that we got to the third period, if we're ahead by one, he very often would take a Comrie or someone of that nature and play that role as a defensive responsible player.

So I think any player at this time of year that you have in your active roster is an important player.

Q. If it's possible to separate yourself from the fact that you're his coach, there's a huge issue with head shots, has been for a couple of years now. We're at a Stanley Cup Final where every bit of hockey attention is on that hit last night. Should and will that have any bearing on how this whole thing is handled by the league?

COACH BRYAN MURRAY: It probably will have. I would assume - it wasn't the only one in the game, though, by the player. There were three that I saw just very quickly this morning. But I can't really make any determination. I'm very prejudiced about what should happen with history and all the rest of it. So I'll just wait for the league to make the ruling.

Q. Just talked about what he does on the ice, but what about in the room? He's a veteran player; he's been with you for a while; what does he bring for the club?

COACH BRYAN MURRAY: First, he's a real good guy. He's a real quiet man, but very emotional when it comes game time, very focused on the game, and he's been one of the players at the beginning of the year I looked at and said he's not a physical player really. He has speed. I'll just put him on the fourth line.

But I found as the year went on, he became more and more important, in the room as well as on the ice, as a guy that a lot of the younger guys reach to and talk to a lot.
He's got that patience about him that a lot of us don't have that allows him to have a conversation with a young player and help the player. And Pat Eaves, and I think he's taken Saprykin under his wing to give him an opportunity to play and got him playing a more responsible role.

Q. Just wanted to see, Chris had the first goal last night. What is he bringing to the playoffs for us as far as two goal and he has two goals, now?

COACH BRYAN MURRAY: He's a strong guy on our hockey team. He brings a physical presence obviously. He's a chatter box at time. He has ability around - I haven't played him as much probably on the power play this year as the net presence as I did last year, but he can play there. The goal - he got a responsible position being the third man he jumped when the puck became available, he jumped in and got a stick on it and went in for him. So every team needs that kind of player. I think Anaheim have a couple of them. We have a couple of them.

Q. Are you getting closer to doing the things that you wanted to do? I know last night you suggested that it was good but far from perfect?

COACH BRYAN MURRAY: I think we had more energy and more battle in us last night. I thought the first two games in Anaheim we didn't play close to the type of game we had been playing through the playoffs.

And I'm not sure whether it was all about Anaheim or a lot about us or whatever. But at any rate, we played better last night. But I still thought that we gave up a number of chances, positionally, that it's a hard time winning in the playoffs if you do that.

We got caught chasing behind the net against Niedermayer. Why would you ever do that? We did it several times. They got odd man rushes out of it.

We've talked about it already, but certainly it was a better effort than the previous games.

Q. Has Mike Fisher, I guess to use an old cliche, raised his game to another level, has he been your more consistent forward in these three games?

COACH BRYAN MURRAY: Yes, I think so. We know Mike is a hard-working real determined type of guy with lots of character. His skating allows him to do an awful lot for us. Probably if you rate him over the three games, he was probably the best to this point in time.

Q. Did the performance of your support players maybe take a bit of pressure off that first line?

COACH BRYAN MURRAY: As I said last night, I don't think in this league at this time of year, in particular, you can win if you don't have a variety of people doing a lot for you.

And we saw the energy that Vermette and Kelly played well. Chris played well. I thought McAmmond's line played really well. Mike Fisher each and every night has done a real good job for us.

So if you don't have that, as I said, it's hard to win.

Q. Along those lines, you got the production last night from your second, third and fourth lines, are you getting what you want out of your first line, though, and their power play performance?

COACH BRYAN MURRAY: Well, they got a power play goal. They had the puck more last night. I thought, you know, again, Anaheim did a good job against them. But very definitely, they were better. Will they play better than this? We certainly hope so.

We think the way they played through the first part of the playoffs, they were better. Mind you, they're playing different people, different size, and that has a little bit of a factor.

But as they step up a little bit and the other guys continue to play hard as they did, we have a good chance to get back into the series.

Q. Outside of the obvious that last night's win got you within one of tying the season, is the first win that much important to take care of the pressure we can get snowballed here and things like that?

COACH BRYAN MURRAY: No doubt. When you go on the road to open the series. I kind of like going on the road. But it didn't work out this time. We had a chance. Ray Emery gave us a chance to steal Game 2. We hadn't played that well. He gave us a chance.

But now coming home, you win one. Now I think the confident people, confidence level of our team is different today than it was going into the game yesterday. And I think we'll play accordingly. I hope we'll play accordingly. And we'll just have to drop the puck tomorrow and find out.

Q. The ability of your guys to get in on the forecheck and pound their D a little bit last night perhaps provoke the loss of discipline and the things you saw later in the game and does that kind of provide a little bit of a blueprint for you going from this point on?

COACH BRYAN MURRAY: I think they did that to us pretty well out there. We were able to do it better last night. I think we knew through the neutral zone to me was a key getting the puck in proper position so we could get the puck in and get people moving.

And it was a big factor, obviously, in the game. We got the puck down deep. We had lots of battles around the side of the net, back of the net. And obviously we'd like to continue that, yeah.

Q. So many games in the playoffs your top line led the way the role for the second, third, fourth lines became primarily defensive. In any way do you think they fell in the trap of relying on those guys a little bit?

COACH BRYAN MURRAY: We didn't get much out of the other lines in Anaheim. We can blame the top guys or the top offensive guys, but we didn't get much out of the other guys as well, which was an understatement. But there's no question - the Kelly line, in particular Vermette, has ability to do things. And Chris Neil hadn't played to the level he played last night. And they had at different times during the year.

And maybe they were kind of sitting there waiting and hoping that one of the other guys would score a goal and then they just match up and check whoever they had to check again. So that's part of an excuse, too. There's no reason for that.

But at least last night they recognized that they had to step up and they did.

Q. You've challenged your shooters before Game Three to get more pucks at the net and they did. Is it a matter if they keep putting the pucks there the goals will come like they did last night?

COACH BRYAN MURRAY: I don't know that they'll come quite in the numbers, but definitely we weren't giving ourselves a chance to get any before. In the second game, we didn't get the puck in very cleanly often. But when we did, we were looking for plays that weren't there instead of going to the net with it.

And I think we learned a little bit last night - we talked about, we showed lots of clips of Giggy and all the rest of it. But I think the players recognize now that no matter who the goaltender is, you've got to throw pucks there, get traffic and hope that one or two will filter through and you get rewarded.

Q. If McAmmond can go tomorrow night, will you split Kelly and Vermette to fill the spot on the fourth line?

COACH BRYAN MURRAY: I may have to do it at times. I don't really want to do that. I really like the pair together. They kill penalties together. They check well. I can play them against I feel any line in the league and they do a responsible job for me. But we don't have a lot of centers.

So that could happen part time at any rate.

Q. The GMs will be meeting tomorrow. And I'm sure one of the topics that comes up is the hits to the head. Do you have an opinion either way? I know there's kind of an old school mentality and a new school mentality about whether they should be eliminated completely?

COACH BRYAN MURRAY: Am I old or new school, I'm not sure. (Laughing) There's a difference in size. And I think if it's contact, one guy runs into another and the shoulder happens to hit a guy in the head area, that has to be considered somewhat.

I really think there's such a variety and Chris Pronger is a big guy. Lots of big guys in the league and Mike Comrie and shorter guys. You can't penalize a bigger guy every time he runs into a smaller player. You just can't do that. I think there's an intent of some sort you recognize then you have to get that guy out of the game or be very severe on him.

Q. Back to the Pronger incident, I'm curious, it's Stanley Cup Final, you don't have to send a tape. So I guess are you making some pressure? Are you lobbying?

COACH BRYAN MURRAY: Other than to you guys, nobody has asked me a question. The league has not asked me a question. And I'm not lobbying to anybody. I think what I recognize now in the league is that every incident is reviewed. Every goal is reviewed. I think we've really got it down to a real science now.

And I don't think I have to make a call or make a comment really about it. Colin Campbell and his staff recognize what happens in each game and they will act accordingly.

Q. Do you have a sense of exactly what the rule is on kicking or directing a puck into the net with the skate and if so how would you define it?

COACH BRYAN MURRAY: It's direct - absolute direct kick in the net. Everything else off your foot, off your leg is clearly a goal.

We've even talked when I was a GM in the meetings that everything that goes in the net is a goal, whether you kick it or not. But then they said deliberate kicking action is one that we shouldn't allow because of the possibility of injury or whatever to the goaltender.

I saw the goal when it went in, it hit him in the foot. He turned his foot. It hit him in the foot but there was no kick until after the puck was already in the net. He had to pick his foot up at that point or tear his knee. He picked up his foot. The puck was already in the net when he did that. There was no argument, I know on all the talk shows there's a pro and con for it, but that's the rule.

Q. Would you like to see it sort of opened to include more or maybe take some of the guess work out of it. We've seen goals of a similar nature, Crosby goal in the first round against you guys?

COACH BRYAN MURRAY: He kicked the puck. I watched that - anyway we won't debate. I've got the tape. We pulled the tape out when I heard that comment. He definitely kicked it in at that time. He was against us. (Laughing).

Q. Would you like to see maybe less finesse on those kinds of calls and open it up to that kind of, if it goes in any way it counts as a goal?

COACH BRYAN MURRAY: I think the only comment there that kept coming back if you allow the guys to kick the puck in, the goaltender happens to be down, the way we sharpen our skates and something happened like Clint Malarchuk you wouldn't be happy with us or the league. They did as much as they could to allow pucks to go off feet without dragging and absolutely kicking it through the goaltender.

Q. You said it sounded like anything that goes in the net they considered. Does that include things like -

COACH BRYAN MURRAY: No, you can't throw a puck into the net or anything like that.

Q. You talked a little bit about directing pucks to the net. How important was it that the other guys on the ice realize that the pucks were going to get there and a lot of times you had people getting there before the pucks were actually towards that?

COACH BRYAN MURRAY: That's the biggest item, is that we had people try to get to the net and they stopped doing it because we weren't shooting the puck. We weren't trying to get traffic there. Anything - any time you get in the offensive zone, there's a stage you have to throw the puck towards the goaltender and reward the person that drives the net for you. I think that was a big, big factor in the game.
DANIEL ALFREDSSON

Q. Losing Dean for any amount of time and what he's meant during these playoffs?

DANIEL ALFREDSSON: That would be tough. He's been, especially this year, he's been playing really well and skating really good. And obviously he's really good on the penalty kill, but he's been creating offensive for the fourth line. So that will be tough for us.

Q. Daniel, was that the loudest you've ever heard it here at the rink and how much of a lift did that give you guys?

DANIEL ALFREDSSON: It was a big lift. It's the loudest I've seen this place. We've been sitting in the dressing room before warmup. We could hear them and they were chanting, and they were definitely giving us a lot of energy.

Q. That win, what does it do mentally for this club? I know it puts you 2-1, does it change you mentally in your thought process?

DANIEL ALFREDSSON: It's still one game at a time, but it gave us I think not just a win but the way we played to generate a lot more offense than we have. I still think we can be better defensively. But it's nice to see we're going in the right direction and starting to play the game and the solid game we played throughout the playoffs.

Q. When you see some of the guys like Vermette and Kelly and Neil play the kind of game, and Schaefer, that they had, what does that do to the rest of the team?

DANIEL ALFREDSSON: I think as a team, we needed to pick it up and certainly played really well, those you mentioned.

And our fourth line was good yesterday. I think our line still can be better. But we were better than we've been. So had everybody going, I think. Everybody was working hard. We made some mistakes at times, but we worked so hard that we overcame it.

Q. Coach talked about head shots three or four from Anaheim delivered to you guys, maybe just from Pronger himself. Are you wishing they started to look at these and start calling them a little more?

DANIEL ALFREDSSON: I'm sure they're doing everything they can on the ice. I'm sure the league is looking into what happened to McAmmond as well.

So as a player when you are on the ice, you don't think about it. When somebody does it, it happens, there's nothing you can do. That's why the league looks after those things and they decide how this game should be played.

Q. You talk a lot about the brethren and the respect factor and all that stuff and when it's shots to the head that's something that the league has been kind of looking at trying to get to rid the game of. In this case this is a guy that's done it before several times. I mean do you hope they kind of come hard on him and do something? It's the Stanley Cup Finals. People are wondering maybe he gets a pass here?

DANIEL ALFREDSSON: I'm sure everybody is waiting for what's going to happen, if it's going to be a suspension or not or how much. And the league will send a message out I think what is allowed and what's not allowed. So we wait to see what they do and I guess we'll all have our opinions after that.

Q. Ray, I'm wondering what your influence might be on the rest of your team over this year with any fashion style at all. It's a funny question, I know.

RAY EMERY: No, I don't know. Alfy bought the same belt buckle as me a couple weeks ago. So I guess he liked that one (smiling). That's far from my mind right now, I guess.

DANIEL ALFREDSSON: The biggest thing Ray takes it to such a different level when we go we think extreme we feel pretty comfortable. It's pretty nice (laughing).

Q. What kind of lift has Mike Fisher given you guys in the three games so far?

DANIEL ALFREDSSON: I think he's been probably our best forward in this series. He thrives on this kind of game, physical, fast paced and he's so strong he's so quick and I think the biggest thing is he has so much energy, he can go back, shift after shift, and play the way he does. It's pretty impressive.

And we all shake our heads at some of the hits he delivers.

Q. Now that you did it, wondering what it was like to be on the ice in a game in Ottawa first time in Stanley Cup Finals, what was that like for you?

RAY EMERY: It was crazy. Even driving in there was traffic for us coming to the game because people were already here going crazy, partying.

I mean you could just feel the energy coming out. We were getting ready. You could hear the crowd chanting already. There were probably, whatever, 14,000 people for warmup or something like that.

So it was just awesome to play in a game like that.`

JUNE 2 - SAT POSTGAME

OTTAWA

COACH BRYAN MURRAY
DANIEL ALFREDSSON
MIKE FISHER
CHRIS NEIL
       
Q.        Daniel, was that the emotional level that you were looking for that was missing for your team?
       
DANIEL ALFREDSSON:  The crowd helped us out, no question.  We got a lot of more shifts in there than we had previously.  And like we've talked about, that's the way we're going to create some chances.  And it's nice to do that.

       
Q.  The old Senators would have had the wrath if they wouldn't have stayed and quote, unquote fought back in a series like this, physically and nastiness wise.  Do you think you answered that question as you have the other series that you've dispelled previous doubters?
       
DANIEL ALFREDSSON:  I didn't feel we need to answer that question.  But I think we can play physical.  We can play with the puck, and I think we can handle most situations.  So it was character game today because we came behind a few times, but came back with timely goals.

       
Q.  What was the last 24 hours like for you emotionally?
       
CHRIS NEIL:  It was like a roller coaster ride, waiting in line especially at the hospital.  But just my wife is a trooper and it was amazing.  I can't say enough.  I knew where I had to be.  It was amazing.  And that's - you can't put words behind that.  You just watched your baby being born. I can't say enough about it.

       
Q.  What's the baby's name?
       
CHRIS NEIL:  Hailey.  So when you give me a gift Alfie (laughing) -

       
Q.  How much do you think it had to do - you guys were criticized in Anaheim for getting a little too cute, that you just did the simple things to get the pucks to the net.
       
MIKE FISHER:  I think we were maybe getting frustrated, trying to force things there.  We slowed things down.  We're a puck possession team.  Seemed like the first couple games we were chasing too much.  Tonight we played a little more with the puck.  Making smarter plays in the corner where we could get it.  I thought we cycled and battled and got pucks to the net and played with a lot more edge and obviously more competitive.

       
Q.  Wonder if one of you could address what the feelings were like on the Pronger hit on McAmmond?
       
CHRIS NEIL:  You see that kind of stuff a teammate go down.  You don't like to see it.  The elbow on the head.  So you feel for your teammate.  You just want to go out, you want to play that much harder for them.  It was kind of like the same hit Patrick Eaves took a blow in the first series against Pittsburgh.  I think we regrouped and bounced back and won the game for him, too.  So I think the guys knew what we had to do.  We had to go out and play hard for Dino, and we did that and we showed that we're a competitive team.

       
Q.  Daniel, a lot has been made, of course, about your line in the first part of the series.  Can you talk about how important it was tonight to have contributions from obviously the guys here with you, but other guys throughout the lineup, maybe less, smaller profile guys?
       
DANIEL ALFREDSSON:  Every line played real well today.  I think as a team we needed to have a good effort and we got some big shifts from Fisher's line, Kelly's line with Neil and those guys.  Cycling the puck, got a goal.  If you do that you'll be successful, no question. And it was nice to see.

       
Q.  Daniel, I'm just wondering about your thoughts on that goal.  First it's called back by the referee.  And they go upstairs, long wait, it's called a goal?
       
DANIEL ALFREDSSON:  I felt it was a goal all along.  I think from the ref's position, he thought it went off my skate.  I don't think it was kicked.  But to me it felt I never kicked the puck, never lifted my foot.  I was confident it was going to be a goal.  At the same time you never know.  But it felt like a goal.

       
Q.  Any of the three of you guys can answer it.  But came back 0-2, now right back in it.  Describe the emotional change in taking it in the first game here?
       
MIKE FISHER:  We're obviously excited.  We're disappointed obviously about the first two games.  We knew we'd get a boost being back home in front of our fans.  Before the game we could hear them going nuts.  We were confident, we knew we could put out a good effort and beat this team.  We're back right at it two nights, and another win and we're right back at it.  We're on our way.  We felt we played well tonight. We know how we can beat this team now.  That kind of gives us a little boost, obviously.

       
Q.  Mike, I just wanted to ask you what you thought of the Pronger hit.  Did you think that was a clean hit?
       
MIKE FISHER:  I didn't see it, actually, very clearly.  But everyone on the bench said it was an elbow.  I didn't see the replay.  But they said it was an elbow right to the head.
       
So got him pretty good.  And looks like he should be hopefully okay.

       
Q.  Did either Chris or Daniel, did you get a good look at it?  Did you see it?
       
CHRIS NEIL:  It's a quick game out there.  Everyone was all over me about the Drury hit.  Things happen in high tempo.  Try to be clean as possible.  We seen it in the last series with him on Holmstrom, he had an elbow to the back of the head.  He's known for that.  So I think the league will probably review it and hopefully they call something on it.
       
FRANK BROWN:  Thank you, gentlemen.

       
Q.  Curious about the Pronger hit on McAmmond and what if anything should need to happen?
       
COACH BRYAN MURRAY:  It's not what needs to happen.  It was an elbow to the head.  I saw what happened when a Detroit player got hit like that.  He was out.  I can't for the life of me understand how it was missed by four officials.  Dean was knocked out.  I don't want to say anything because I don't want to complain, because I get accused of complaining.
       
So I think it was an obvious call.

       
Q.  Do you think that Anaheim was trying to do again tonight what other teams had tried and failed to do, which is rough it up a little bit?  And tonight you finally - you had to step it up and force the issue a little more than you had?
       
COACH BRYAN MURRAY:  Well, that's their style.  I mean, they battle hard with the goaltender.  They take the body real well.  I know lots of these players.  They're big, physical people.  That's their game plan.  And it's not just tonight, it's every night.  I thought we handled it well.
       
We got some pucks to the net finally, and we found a way to win a hockey game.

       
Q.  As to the character of your team, the Ducks went up three times every game, sucked the wind out of your sails, your guys came back.  Is that a statement for this year?
       
COACH BRYAN MURRAY:  This group got beaten up a little early in the year.  We've said that many times.  They've gotten beaten up in some individual games.  We've hung in, hung in, played well.  Obviously it's only one game.
       
But I really like the way we responded.  We got the power play goal and from there we did a real good job of taking off and playing disciplined for the most part and getting some goals that we needed.

       
Q.  The last 24 hours Chris Neil was out you probably knew he had a huge game in him?
       
COACH BRYAN MURRAY:  When I went into the room I said nobody should be in the starting lineup other than Chris Neil but we have to get linemates for him so his line will start tonight.  He really rewarded us with effort, great attitude and getting the goal was a big bonus for us.

       
Q.  You were by the bench in trying to get an explanation from the officials.  Did you get one at all on the hit and do you have an update on McAmmond?
       
COACH BRYAN MURRAY:  He's okay now.  Like he's come around now.  I don't know what the state will be going forward for a little bit of time. They told me to go stand behind the bench.  That was the explanation pretty much I get.

       
Q.  Three more to go.  How do you keep it going?
       
COACH BRYAN MURRAY:  Well, we've won more.  Monday night we have to play another hockey game here and play well.  And try to get this thing in a position where when we go back to Anaheim we can compete real seriously for a series lead.  But we have to worry only about one game and that's what I told the guys prior to the game tonight.
       
Just no matter if we had won or lost, I was very nervous when we had two games to nothing in the couple series.  I was less so tonight.  I thought our guys would come out and play and climb the hill.  And it's one step.

       
Q.  Just your thoughts on the second, third, fourth lines tonight, all the battles that they won?
       
COACH BRYAN MURRAY:  I thought again our fourth line was one of our better lines through two periods.  They gave us energy.  They didn't get a lot of ice time.  They played hard.  Got the puck in deep.  But that's what you have to have to win in this league now.
       
And we've talked for two games about the big line or Spezza line and the other lines have stepped up.  Mike Fisher has been really good through the series.  Kelly line was good and as I mentioned McAmmond line was real good for the most part.  And that's how you have a chance.

       
Q.  The shift before the Neil goal, Schaefer and Comrie had that huge cycle down low.  Can you talk about how important that was?
       
COACH BRYAN MURRAY:  Again, getting the puck deep against that D, it's really difficult to start with.  And when we got it down there, I thought the two of them played real well around the net.
       
We didn't get a lot out of it, other than lots of work and lots of energy and the wear and tear on everybody's body.  But we had a couple of chances right at the latter part of the shift and then we scored later.
       
And I think you just build for that.  You hope that you can get some momentum through people working hard for you.  And there is carry-over.

       
Q.  What did you say to the team between the second and third periods and did you reference the first game in the series at all?
       
COACH BRYAN MURRAY:  No, no, I didn't.  We talked about how we had to play.  We had a little bit of a different game plan going in and trying to stick to it.  And positionally be sound.
       
And don't - just play D.  You're allowed to go and try to score another goal, get the puck in deep and I thought we did an okay job there.

       
Q.  You were really livid after the McAmmond hit and there were four officials on the ice, didn't really feel like you got a good chance to bounce off.  Can you once more reply on it?
       
COACH BRYAN MURRAY:  Again, as I said, I thought it was a fairly obvious one.  I'm behind the bench.  I'm prejudice as hell.  I protect my player if I can.  But I saw it.
       
And I couldn't understand why someone didn't see it.  I was trying to talk to the linesmen.  They're - I think in the five-minute call if they wanted to be involved they could be.  But I guess I've been around too long.  Nobody listens to me anymore.  (Laughter).  I didn't get any explanation.

       
Q.  Do you make any changes for Game 4 on Monday night?
       
COACH BRYAN MURRAY:  We have to decide where Dean is at this point in time.  He could be a question mark.  I won't know that really until I get a chance to talk to him and the doctors.

       
Q.  Have you thought of bringing McGrattan in?
       
COACH BRYAN MURRAY:  I always think about it.  Every night in warmup I pat him on the back and say be ready.  But I haven't thought that far ahead.

       
Q.  Can you talk a bit about Mike Fisher being kind of an inspirational leader for you tonight and in the series for you guys?
       
COACH BRYAN MURRAY:  He's a character guy without a doubt.  His energy every night his determination to get pucks down to his speed carrying the puck.  I mean he's a great example.  We talk about the captains and that and very definitely a character player.  Very important player and a leader on this hockey team as well.
       
And, again, his line gave us some energy and he was a big part of that.

DUCKS

TODD MARCHANT
RYAN GETZLAF
FRANCOIS BEAUCHEMIN
SCOTT NIEDERMAYER
COREY PERRY
(Transcribed from audio recordings)


       
Q.  (Question off microphone)?
       
TODD MARCHANT:   You know what, I mean, it's not about hate.  It's about going out and playing our game.  It's about going out and 20 guys in our locker room playing our game for 60 minutes.  And I'm sure there's going to be little battles, and it's during the game, but you know what I mean, bottom line is tonight we didn't play the game that we could play.

       
Q.  (Question off microphone)?
       
TODD MARCHANT:   I didn't see it.  I was on the ice.  I just saw the puck go across the ice, and I mean, obviously Danny O'Halloran felt it wasn't a goal on the ice.  But, again, that's something we can't control.  They went to Toronto.  They determined it wasn't a goal.  They went upstairs and determined it wasn't a goal and we have to move on and accept it.

       
Q.  (Question off microphone)?
       
TODD MARCHANT:   Well, you know, they capitalize on the power play.  Got a power play going against us.  They weren't able to do that in Game 2.  You know, they played their game plan tonight and we didn't.  And I don't know - I don't have a reason for it.  I wish I did.  I would have corrected it about two and a half hours ago.
       
But bottom line is this game is behind us as it is for them and we have to focus on Game 4.

RYAN GETZLAF

     
RYAN GETZLAF:   We knew we weren't going to win this Game 1-0, not with the team they have over there.  They battled the way they wanted to at home and we didn't.  And we just need to get ready for Game 4 now.

       
Q.  There's a lot of weird calls and whatnot tonight and the bottom line is you blame yourself more than anything?
       
RYAN GETZLAF:   We can't blame anybody else.  We're the ones out on the ice.  We had some two lapses in things tonight and it cost us.
       
We didn't score a goal in the zone with four guys on the ice.  I don't know if anybody knows it, but it wasn't exactly our shining moment and we'll take that under our belt and go for Game 4 now.

       
Q.  What did you think about the one goal, the Alfredsson goal kicking it in?
       
RYAN GETZLAF:   I mean, that's a tough one to comment on.  From where I was, I agreed with the ref on the ice.  I thought he was in a good position.  Obviously, the league has a lot of other camera angles, and they overturned the call.  We have to live with it.

       
Q.  You guys responded a big way without Chris Pronger in Game 4 of last series.  What if you guys are in that same scenario on Monday night?
       
RYAN GETZLAF:   We'll deal with that.

       
Q.  (Question off microphone)?
       
RYAN GETZLAF:   They came out, they played hard.  They are forechecking like crazy.  And they gained momentum from each other and built on certain things.  And we kind of sat back and allowed them to do it.  You've got to give them credit.

       
Q.  (Question about borderline calls)?
       
RYAN GETZLAF:   I'm not going to complain about the reffing.  We didn't play well tonight and we didn't play well enough to win.  We had a chance to be in a hockey game tonight and we let it slip away.  

FRANCOIS BEAUCHEMIN

Q.        What was the difference out there tonight from games one and two for you guys?
       
FRANCOIS BEAUCHEMIN:   Obviously, they came out really hard.  They played physical and I guess our undiscipline cost us a lot of momentum tonight again, and bottom line, they wanted it more than us.

       
Q.  What did you think of the offensive line?
       
FRANCOIS BEAUCHEMIN:   I guess they said that he kicked it after it bounced off his skates.  It happens in playoffs, and those things can make a difference in the series.

       
Q.  (Question about head injury)?
       
FRANCOIS BEAUCHEMIN:   I didn't see what happened actually.  I was on the bench and I was looking up on the play when he was still in the zone so I didn't see the hit.  I can't really say anything about it.

       
Q.  Are you worried that you might (indiscernible)?
       
FRANCOIS BEAUCHEMIN:   We don't want to think about that right now.  We just want to think about what we did wrong tonight and get better for Monday.

       
Q.  How much did that overturned goal change your momentum?
       
FRANCOIS BEAUCHEMIN:   Little details happen, and we want to refocus and we got some bad bounce against us and they played real well.  They came out hard.  They came out physical on us, and bottom line, we want to forget about it and get better on Monday.


SCOTT NIEDERMAYER
 
       
SCOTT NIEDERMAYER:   That's things we have to get ready for.  We were not at our best and we can improve for the next game.

       
Q.  You were able to respond without Chris Pronger the last series.  If you guys are faced in another situation like that...
       
SCOTT NIEDERMAYER:   I hope not.  I didn't see the hit.  I didn't see it on the ice.  I didn't see a replay of it.  I can't really make a comment on that.

       
Q.  Little bit of concern you guys lost a little bit of discipline?
       
SCOTT NIEDERMAYER:   Yeah, for sure.  You can never take anything for granted.  As long as the clock is still ticking, you still have a chance to put ourselves in the box like we did in the third period is not obviously the smart way to go about it.  Definitely mistakes made there.

       
Q.  Do you give Ottawa credit for battling back?
       
SCOTT NIEDERMAYER:   Of course, you do.  They won games down in Anaheim, came out and played well.  That's why they're in the Stanley Cup Final.

       
Q.  (Question off microphone)?
       
SCOTT NIEDERMAYER:  They got more in the forecheck, and we didn't help ourselves by moving the puck to the right spots, which helped them with the forecheck even more.  So that's something that we have to try and be better at.

       
Q.  Do you do anything differently at this point?
       
SCOTT NIEDERMAYER:   There's things we can do as defensemen, how to deal when they do dump the puck in, where do we go with it, how do we try to move it around them.  I think tonight we didn't do a good job of it.


COREY PERRY

       
Q.  What do you guys have to do better Monday night to come out and play?
       
COREY PERRY:   We have to be on the forecheck.  We didn't hit.  We didn't forecheck that for 60 minutes.  We did it in spurts.  And when we did, we got some chances and scored a couple goals off it.  If we come out Monday and play our style of game, I think we'll be okay.

       
Q.  Did you let the emotions of the game get to you guys at all after that when it was 4-3?
       
COREY PERRY:   There were a couple times maybe, but it's a hockey game.  You gotta control your emotions.  You can't let the crowd be a factor.  You can't let the other team let it be a factor.  Go out and play your style of game.

       
Q.  Composure kind of fell apart a little bit?
       
COREY PERRY:   I don't know if - maybe it fell apart a little bit, but we've got to control that.  We have to do a better job.  We talked about it after the game; we have to do a better job.

JUNE 2 - SAT PRE-GAME MORNING

Q. Randy, any update on Chris Kunitz and his ability for tonight or beyond?

COACH RANDY CARLYLE: Earth-breaking news, gentlemen. All of our players are available for tonight. So read into it. All our players are available for tonight (smiling).

Q. To become more clear, then -

COACH RANDY CARLYLE: All our players are available tonight.

Q. Will Chris Kunitz be in the lineup this evening?

COACH RANDY CARLYLE: We'll have to make a coach's decision on whether Chris Kunitz will play. He's been cleared by the doctors. All our players are available to play.

Q. Just want to clear that up -

COACH RANDY CARLYLE: All our players are available to play.

Q. Talk a bit maybe about Sean O'Donnell, seems to be the defenseman that nobody talks about, they always talk about the big three, but how valuable has he been to your team?

COACH RANDY CARLYLE: Again, with O'D, big, strong, defensive defenseman. A lot of the success and the strong play by our back end has been a tribute to the guys that play big minutes. And he's one of them.
He kind of goes under the radar when you have the likes of a Pronger and a Niedermayer and the emergence of Beauchemin, players like O'Donnell, the Huskins kid, DiPenta and Jackman, all fly under the radar when you have what people would surmise as our big three. And he's been a complement to our team toughness. Strong defensive play and a great teammate.

Q. What can you say about the way Samuel Pahlsson has been contributing to the team during the playoff?

COACH RANDY CARLYLE: Well, I guess from our standpoint, Sammy has come and emerged as a force from the defensive side of it. He's been a strong checking center for us.

He's played a lot of the tough minutes from the standpoint of penalty killing and strong defensive situations, five-on-threes, checking up against the top offensive players on the teams that we've faced.
And, again, the playoffs are about people coming outside of the norm and Samuel Pahlsson, Moen, Niedermayer group has stepped out of that.

We felt that they were a very precious commodity right from the beginning of the year for our group. And, again, so as we've stated before, the playoffs allow people to separate themselves, and at this point these players have been able to play to a higher level.
The thing is that we're going to have to continue to play to a higher level, because as these games go forward, this one's the most important one. We will have to play the best game that we've played so far this year to date. We know that the Ottawa Senators are going to give us everything they've got, and we have to be prepared to respond. They're a very good hockey club. And they earned their opportunity to be here.

Q. Having established that Chris Kunitz could play this evening, what hesitation would there be to putting him back in? Is it one of conditioning or what?

COACH RANDY CARLYLE: You have to make the assessment that the player has been out for a certain number of days. How much time has he had to actually heal, which is what the doctor determines when they clear the individual. And the last question we asked the doctor is that if this was your son, would you allow him to play?
And the answer, obviously, was yes. And the second part of it would be the conditioning aspect, but we felt that he's worked extremely hard off the ice.

But this is game conditions we're stepping into. This is not the first game of the season. This isn't mid-season. This is the Stanley Cup Final. The building will be very, very warm. It will be a raucous type of atmosphere. The body can get drained not only physically but mentally in a hurry, especially when you haven't had the opportunity to have a strong foundation of aerobic skates and hard practices and whatnot. But he's worked extremely hard off the ice.
It's a decision we'll have to make as a coaching staff if we feel that he is going to provide us the best option at that position.

Q. If he does play, what does he bring to your club? What does he add?

COACH RANDY CARLYLE: He's been a top line left winger for our group with the Selanne/McDonald group, and he's played a lot of minutes on that group and he's played a lot of minutes with the power play.

He's the type of individual that has played more of the dirty work, as you would call it. He's been first on the forecheck a lot times and he's a banger. He will take the body. He has an excellent shot. I don't know how good the shot will be coming off a hand injury. But those are all things that are his strengths and he's a character individual. He plays hard for his teammates and they respect his work ethic.

Q. If Chris goes in, does he automatically go on back with that top line or do you spot him?

COACH RANDY CARLYLE: Nothing is automatic in coaching. We'll make a decision where he fits in, if we make that call that he's going to play. It's always difficult when you're in the situation that you're going to put the individual in a position that he can't possibly have success in. And that's a great concern for the coaching staff.

Q. I just wanted to know, can you update us on Chris Neil, if everything went well with him?

COACH BRYAN MURRAY: He's a father. He's happy. He was in this morning. He went through the video that he missed out on yesterday. And he's ready to play.

Q. What can Alfredsson do to be more effective tonight?

COACH BRYAN MURRAY: Get the puck in scoring position once in a while and put pucks to the net. He's got to get some help. I don't think there's an individual player in this league or very few of them that can do it himself.

I think it becomes, in particular this time of year when everybody is playing great defense and working real hard, you've got to have a line going. And then you have a chance to be a productive player.

So it's Jason and Dany and Alfy have to be doing what they do all playoffs with the exception of a game or two.

Q. How long do you stay patient with that?

COACH BRYAN MURRAY: As long as I want. But thanks for the question.

Q. How do you approach the mind set of Randy trying to match lines, and do you try to counteract that if he wants to short shift guys, do you just deal with it?

COACH BRYAN MURRAY: We have to deal with it. As I said yesterday, I think there are times in a game, if you win a face-off in the offensive zone, you get the right matchup for the 15, 20 seconds, that's what you expect.

After the puck gets out of the zone, he's going to get a chance to make the line change. And he'll do it. But our guys have to handle that as well. We have to do a better job in our building.

I mean, we know Sammy Pahlsson, Rob Niedermayer and Moen real well. We have to play well against them. Better against them than we have out there.

Q. You talk a lot about the defensemen of the Ducks, All Stars, you have one on your side Wade Redden. Do you expect more from Wade?

COACH BRYAN MURRAY: Yes, I think he'll play better. I thought Game 1 he was okay. Game 2 he wasn't as good. I thought they got in, did some good hits and did some real good things against them, but he's got to play as well as he can play.

But that goes for our team. I think if you went through the list of players on our team, we had a number of guys who played okay. And we had a number of guys that didn't play the way they had played earlier in the playoffs.

So we expect that they will step up and do a little better job.

Q. It's been 80 years since there's been a Stanley Cup Final game in this city.

COACH BRYAN MURRAY: Wow (laughter).

Q. For you being from here, does that mean more coming into the building tonight?

COACH BRYAN MURRAY: I can tell you this, I had many opportunities to talk to Frank Finnegan, and he told me lots of these stories, as us old-timers tend to do, we like to tell stories. And he used to do that some years back.

But I don't remember the 80 years. Almost, but not quite. And I hope it means a lot for our players that the fans of today are really supporting them.

And as I went around the city in the last day or so, there are a lot of people that really like this team, like what's happened with this team and will support this team. And I think they'll respond accordingly tonight.


Q. Question about face-offs. I know you're not pleased with what happened last game. Is it more than just the guy riding that circle? What has to happen to get control of the puck?

COACH BRYAN MURRAY: Well, their wingers jump real quick and support their center. And ours haven't responded quite to the level that we have to. And I think it is more than that.

I think you can't lose a face-off clean because you can't get any help at that time. But if the puck is dropped and there - and you can just battle the stick of the other guy for a short couple of seconds, you should get help.

And once in a while it's like battling on the wall. Once in a while you should win that battle for puck possession. And we've got to get more help.

Q. Can we expect any changes to your lineup tonight?

COACH BRYAN MURRAY: In names, no. We'll go with the same lineup. But we may have to juggle a couple of people around at some point.

FRANK BROWN: Questions for Daniel.

Q. What can you do to be more effective tonight?

DANIEL ALFREDSSON: I think puck possession coming over here. It's been one of the things we've been successful. So try to control the puck a little bit more.

I said yesterday, too, that we were spread out and when we did dump it in, we couldn't really get it. We were too spread out and didn't support each other.


And come more together with the puck, and I think it will be easy for us to make good decisions.

Q. Back in November, when you guys were having a tough time, seems as though you guys were facing a lot of adversity, and all of a sudden like turning on a switch you guys really turned it on. Can you draw on that at all right now?

DANIEL ALFREDSSON: I think what you can draw is that we know we can handle adversity. And I'm sure tonight we're going to come out and have our best effort. There's no question. And that's what we're looking at, one game here. If we can win tonight, we'll see what happens after that.

Yeah, I think we know we can be better, and that's a good feeling.

MAY 30 - WED GAME 2

DUCKS

Q. Could you just, A, walk me through the goal that you scored, and, B, also talk a little bit about how successful you guys have been in making them turn the puck over at the blueline which was the key to that goal?

SAMUEL PAHLSSON: Well, the goalie was a turnover. I skated down the wing and stepped once inside and shot it through the legs of the defenseman and somehow it went in.

And that's what we try to do all the time, we try to make them turn the puck over. That's the best possible scenario for us, to get turnovers on the blueline.

Q. Giggy, can you go through the five-on-three. Most of their shots best scoring chances were right there at the beginning of the game?

JEAN-SEBASTIEN GIGUERE: Well, I haven't had many shots at that point, and I just wanted to make sure that I would approach it with a lot of energy.
And just tried to go through it as good as I could. And I thought I was able to do the first save and guys were on the rebound right away. So we got pretty fortunate that we were able to get out of that one with no goal.
But we had to stop taking penalties like that, especially going down five-on-three. We can't afford to do that every game. It's going to end up costing us some goals eventually.

Q. Talk about how you feel you're playing right now. We remember you in 2003 having a superb Stanley Cup Final. Are you in the same type of zone you were in in 2003?

JEAN-SEBASTIEN GIGUERE: I don't know. I mean, I'm feeling pretty good on the ice. But like I said, this is totally different season this year. We have a totally different team.

Our team is a lot more talented. We have a lot more offensive power and a lot more size. It just makes my job much easier. I just have to go out there and give our team a chance to win.

And that's all I try to do. That's what I try to focus on. Whether I'm in the zone or not, that's up to you guys to determine. It's not something I worry too much about.

Q. Rob, Chris Pronger was talking about how you guys like to play under the radar, are you kind of blowing your cover in that regard the way you're playing through these playoffs?

ROB NIEDERMAYER: No, I don't think so. We're getting a lot of help out there. I think Chris and Scott are definitely making our jobs a lot easier out there.

Of course Giggy is standing on his head. You know, I think we're just trying to limit those guys. I mean, they're going to get their chances and we're just trying to limit them.

Q. Is there something, though, tactically, that you can use to explain why you've been so successful in standing them up at the blueline? I mean, they haven't really been able to get in the zone that much and cycle for an attack.

ROB NIEDERMAYER: Well, I think the biggest thing for us right now is, you know, we're getting really good back pressure and not giving them too many odd-man rushes.

That enables our D to kind of stand up and not give them the line too much. Because if you give that line, the blueline - I mean, they're going to make some pretty skilled plays out there. And I think that's been a big key for us.

Q. This is for both Robbie and for Sammy. When you shift now to Ottawa and you don't get the last line change, how do you think that's going to affect things for both of you?

SAMUEL PAHLSSON: Well, it's going to make it harder for us. We don't always have the last change and we can't put the guys on the ice against their guys. So it's going to be a different game. We're going to have to change a lot. And probably go out, take a face-off and get off the ice and there's going to be a lot of matchups.

ROB NIEDERMAYER: Yeah, I guess we'll just leave it up to Randy. I mean he's going to have to decide on that.

Q. Randy, is there anything left to say about the Pahlsson line that hasn't been said at this point? I mean, in terms of just how important they've been to you?

COACH RANDY CARLYLE: Well, you know, as we stated, that line right from the beginning of the year has been able to give us quality minutes. And as you know, in the playoffs everybody steps up the defensive aspect of the game at least 20 to 25 percent. And always people separate themselves on the offensive side. It's nice to see that these three players are getting rewarded for all the hard work.

The one thing about those guys, they play the tough minutes, and a lot of times the spotlight has not been directed towards them. And right now they're earning that.

Q. Coach, two things, kind of both tactical. One is can you kind of explain why you've been able to hold that top line up so well outside the blueline and not really let them into your zone with any kind of speed? And the second thing is how much more effective does your checking line, your Pahlsson line, become when Sammy is so dominant in the face-off circle like he was tonight?

COACH RANDY CARLYLE: The second part is the easier question, because when you start with the puck, you're allowed to execute your forecheck or you regroup and whatnot. It's a puck-possession game. And I'm sure every coach would like their team to be 75 percent and above. And that's always a huge factor in where territorially the game is being played. If you start with the puck more often, that means the other team has got to do something to get it back.

The first part of the question, you know, tactically, we're just playing to a system that we've been comfortable with. We've played it all year. We've moved personnel in and out in different occasions, but our players have been very comfortable with what we've done for the past 18 months.
Again, they are the guys that go out and trust it. They go out and work extremely hard at it. And they're the ones that are delivering in these critical situations.

And this game was very, very close all night. And any time you win a 1-0 hockey game in the Stanley Cup Finals, you gotta feel fortunate that bounces went your way.

Q. Is one of the main goals for the Ducks to avoid cutting it too fine and just wing it at the net as much as possible? Because it seems like the volume of shots is - in the end, the last two games is what might be helping you?

COACH RANDY CARLYLE: I don't know. I think there's certain opportunities that present themselves where you should be shooting the puck. And there's other times when, you know, you should be hanging on to it.

But in reality, you know, it's a simple game from a coach's standpoint, but it's a lot more difficult from a player's standpoint, because the things that you ask of your players is much more difficult to do on the ice when you've got five players on the opposition trying to prevent you from doing it.

And there's pressure that goes with that. And the one thing about this group is that they've been consistent with their work ethic. They've committed to a system that we play. And we feel fortunate.

As far as directing pucks at the net, I think every team wants to direct pucks at the net.

Q. Did you expect the Senators to break up their top line and does that change what you need to do at all?

COACH RANDY CARLYLE: Did I expect them to break up their top line? I don't know. We talked about it. And it's always an option. And, you know, they did at a certain point and they went back to it a couple times. But in this game, when you're at this juncture of the season, you have to be prepared to make adjustments.

And they made an adjustment, and then we tried to counter. And that's part of the game. That's part of the strategy that you put in place.

But the reality is that we were fortunate enough in this situation to get our people out when we needed to, and we won a 1-0 hockey game on a big-time shot from Sammy Pahlsson.

SENATORS

Q. Your take on the Pahlsson goal?

COACH BRYAN MURRAY: It was a great shot. He got Corvo turned around. He tried to do something with the stick, got spun and he used Corvo as a screen and hit inside the post.

Great shot. Good play on his part.

Q. The play seemed to start with another turnover at the attacking blueline. Is that kind of the way the game went for you?

COACH BRYAN MURRAY: We played better. But we still made the - there were several of them, soft chip-ins that were picked off and trapped guys. And on that particular play, we turned the puck over just inside the blueline, and Alfredsson couldn't put a stick on Pahlsson. He was on the backside on a step. We tried to pressure the puck to the outside.

When he got that step, then he had the chance to attack one-on-one, and made the play that he made.

But that's been the key for them really is our turnovers and creating offense for them. And I'm not sure why we're doing it, but we're trying to create some offense and we're not getting much.

And I suppose the players are trying to be a little creative, and in this case it burned us.

Q. Bryan, what's happening that they're limiting your shots, not giving you many chances? Do your guys have to do a better job perhaps fighting through this stuff?

COACH BRYAN MURRAY: Well, they're keeping the puck on the outside very well. They stagger their D real well. If you do put it in, the forecheck - we had some good forechecks but we didn't get plays to the net off them.

But they're just doing a real good job. At home they got the matchups. It's what you're supposed to do is have a one-goal advantage playing on your home ice. We hope it works that way. But they've taken advantage of it. No question. Their matchups have been good. We got away a number of times in the game but couldn't take advantage and get a goal off it. But overall their D and their checking line have been stars of the series to this point.

Q. What's your message now that you have to win four out of five?

COACH BRYAN MURRAY: We just have to take advantage of home ice advantage, or home ice. We've done that. We've played well in our own building. We have to do it, absolutely have to do it this time. And give ourselves a chance to come back here and get one. The games have been - I don't know whether it was a close game or not. We had some chances; they outshot us. But I thought overall we skated better at least.

Q. Could you walk us through the philosophy of the line changes that you did, juggling you did through the game off and on?

COACH BRYAN MURRAY: Obviously I was trying to get Alfredsson with Fisher at parts of the game to get away from the checking and the pair of defense that they like to play against the Spezza line. That's basically it. To do that you have to move a couple people around.

We had some good shifts but obviously when you don't score goals it means very little.

`he five-on-three and just the second game in a row really you could have taken control?

COACH BRYAN MURRAY: Giguere made some stops. It's as simple as that. Last night - or the game, first game, rather, we didn't have any chances other than the first play. Tonight we had four or five real good chances at the net. We jammed at it. He made two stops, and then the puck came back to us again. We got another chance.

That's what the game of hockey is. It's create and hope that you can get one by. But goaltenders do play in this game and do have an important role. And in this case J.S. did a good job.

Q. What about taking apart that top line at the start of the game, just for a couple of shifts there to give your team just a little bit of a jump?

COACH BRYAN MURRAY: I didn't even tell the players until the lineup was handed in that we were doing that, just to give everybody a little bit of an edge to start, and I thought we got some great hits right off the bat. We had some tempo and motion and we skated better.

Unfortunately we didn't get many chances on goal, but there was some energy in the building and there was some energy in our dressing room.

Q. Are you concerned about Spezza and Heatley right now?

COACH BRYAN MURRAY: When your top players don't score - their top players haven't scored neither, as much, but definitely we're counting on a couple of guys to be big-time players for us.

And they played better tonight. But they didn't create much in the way of offense. I'm hoping we get home, we can do a little juggling, and it will come.

But, yeah, I'm concerned. They have to help us win games on the road as well as at home.

Q. Coach, this team has faced some adversity in these playoffs but arguably this is the most adversity you've faced. How do you think they'll handle it?

COACH BRYAN MURRAY: We'll find out. I know one thing. We'll work hard. We'll play hard. We'll be competitive. Our fans are great in our building, and I think that they're so supportive that they'll give us a lot of energy going back.

We've got to get skating the way we did at the stage in this game, and if we do that, then we'll handle it fine. And I remember the last time I was in Anaheim we lost the first two games, came into our building and won two. So this is a team that's very capable of doing it.
 

MAY 29 - TUES - OFF DAY

Q. Daniel, those three guys, Pahlsson and Niedermayer and Moen, they bring a dimension that you guys didn't see as much in the first three rounds on the physical side of the game. Is it something you can deal with or is it something that you will have to skate faster, go around them instead of playing strength against strength?

DANIEL ALFREDSSON: I don't see it as a big difference. They play more physical. But it's not that big a difference. I think our game is skating and moving our feet. But when we turn the puck over, we have to stop. We gotta come back. We got a rhythm. I think that's the one thing. We hurt ourselves more than what they did to us. They're a good line, but I think we hurt ourselves more than what they did to stop us.

Q. When you see them put their two top defensemen, Pronger and Niedermayer, together, does that allow you to do more because it's almost making them a bit more top heavy than they normally are?

COACH BRYAN MURRAY: No, the good thing about the two guys they have, they play a lot of minutes. They can put them out together and leave one of them one and put another guy out. They double them up. I don't think there's occasions where you're really going to get away from either Chris or Scott. Either one of them are going to be out there the majority of the time.

They do a real good job. We recognize that. We have to find a way to make them work harder to play the game.

Q.  Friday in Ottawa we spoke about Pahlsson, how good he was on the defensive side of the game.  Last night that line overtook the first line of Ottawa.  For tomorrow night's game, is there a way for you to take them apart or do you still think the matchup between those two guys, if your three key guys are playing as good as they can, they're able to overcome that trio?
       
COACH BRYAN MURRAY: I think they'll have to be able to overcome a little.  Here's the decision I had last night.  Our lineup played so well in every series so far.  I get into the first period or second period, see they're not going as good as they should be, do I, because of that, break them up in the first chance I get and then kind of panic, show panic?
       
So I decided, stick with them, let them play.  We recognized Niedermayer's a good skater, that Pahlsson is a real strong center iceman, very physical kind of player.  If we play, our guys, we'll have to see if they can or not, our guys have to find a way to get some points against that particular line.
       
But it's not only the forward line.  They get their D out there as well that match up pretty well at the same time.  It's a good test for them, good challenge for them.

Q.  ...  Switching gears, could you go back to the '03 draft, Getzlaf and Perry, what you saw there with those, the guys you had targeted?  Clearly that was an extraordinary draft class and to get two players.

COACH BRYAN MURRAY:  Yeah.  We liked two guys a lot in that draft:  Parise, who New Jersey took, and Getzlaf with our pick.  We all love Corey Perry.  I went out with Tim Murray several times to watch him play.  What we liked about him, he was so competitive a kid.  Kind of brought that to the NHL, too.
       
And so we were able to get Getzlaf.  I think there was - at that time he slipped to us simply because a lot of people saw him play one night great and then the next night not so great.  And we kind of understood young players do that.  And I think we see a guy now that's not at the top of his game yet, but two years from now or a year from now he'll be that much better, I believe.
       
And then we had two picks in the second round, and I was trying from like 24 on to get a pick so I could take Perry.  I couldn't get it done until we got - I think it was the 26th pick was made I called Doug Armstrong at 28.  And he had nobody really in mind that he really liked for that particular pick.  So he made the deal with me.
       
That was a big thing.  We signed Kunitz that year and we got Miller that year.  We got a few kids that were real good and ended up - you kind of watch them play.  I wish they were playing elsewhere right now, but they're good players and they'll make this franchise a real good franchise for a lot of years.

Q.  You've talked before about how in a different hockey world you might be an enforcer-type player.  In a joking way.  In a game like that, with that much hitting going on, they're taking the edge in the hitting, is it sometimes frustrating you can't go out and participate a little bit more in the physical part of that game?
       
RAY EMERY:  I like that part of the game.  But not hitting - I like fighting.  There's no fighting in the playoffs.  No, I'm content just kicking pucks back there.  I'm all right.
       
Q.  Boxing analogy, taking their best punch and then coming back at them, how frustrating do you think that will be for them?
       
RAY EMERY:  I mean, things can turn around real quick.  We're not happy with our game last night.  We're down 1-0, but all of a sudden you win Game 2 and you got the split in their building, and that's a good situation to be in.  So we just gotta take care of business Game 2.

Q. Coach, I'm wondering if you could talk a little bit about Drew Miller, about his game and the process that ended up with him playing a bigger role in Game 1 here?

COACH RANDY CARLYLE: I think that we didn't hide the fact that we had confidence in the player before. And thought it might have been smoke and mirrors, but in fact it was the truth. We felt that the young player had done an excellent job in his first year in the American Hockey League. First and foremost he was a safe and responsible player.

The second point being that he has the ability to get around the rink. He can skate. And those two things were at the forefront of the thought process of putting a guy in. Obviously, it's a difficult situation to put an untested rookie into the Stanley Cup Finals, but we felt we could match him up with a skating group of Selanne and McDonald, and that he was responsible enough. That was the best option we had for that game.

Q. Two parts. What was your relationship like with Teemu in his rookie year? And the second one, is there any sense inasmuch as they want to win it for themselves, there's a bit of they want to win it for Teemu too?

COACH RANDY CARLYLE: The relationship I had with Selanne probably was one that - he would describe it that he wasn't my best friend. I was kind of hard on all the rookies and he was a rookie, and I felt that there was a certain way that those players had to make their mark. They had to earn it. And it was awfully difficult to implement that veteran domination to some degree. John Paddock controlled that. And he said the game had changed and they weren't allowed - in the old days they used to have to carry the bag and they were the last ones or the first ones to let the veteran players pick the seats on the airplanes and whatnot.

But when a guy scores 76 goals, it's kind of hard for you to implement those things when he's having that type of success. I was hard on him from the standpoint that I didn't think he practiced as hard as he should, simple as that. I told him on numerous occasions. He didn't like it. But I still told him.

Q. Randy, it's been described you did well last night, but given the video you've seen of the Senators and the playoffs, can you imagine them coming out any flatter than they did, what you expect from them in Game 2?

COACH RANDY CARLYLE: I think, again, they'll play a much more, I guess, structure to their system in the sense of they feel that they turned the puck over way too many times. They didn't cycle the puck enough.

They did some things uncharacteristic of the previous three series that they played against. And when we look at them, they're an excellent hockey club. We respect that opposition immensely.

We think that we had something to do with that obviously. But we know that we're going to have to play a better game than we played last night to have success, because I know in our minds they will come a lot harder and they will be a lot better.

 Q. Can you talk about the decision to put Moen, Pahlsson and Niedermayer together at the start of training camp and then the process of the season? And then have they kind of taken on the lead role in this, not only last night but the entire post-season?

COACH RANDY CARLYLE: Well, we had Pahlsson and Niedermayer together last year for the better part of the year. We made it a conscious effort to try to develop a checking line. And I think that's one of the staples of our style or my style of coaching and our understanding of how the teams are going to have to play up against us.

We take a huge comfort in the feeling that we have a line that can play against any line in the league. And it's not easily developed. It's not something that you just go and say, well, that's the group. There's a lot of things that go into it.

At the end of last year, at the trade deadline, we had acquired Jeff Friesen from I think it Washington and he was inserted there. We have actually tried Friesen with McDonald and Selanne and tried to give him an opportunity. When I asked him where he would like to play, he said he would like to play with Pahlsson and Niedermayer because he knew he would get lots of minutes. That was really the start of that. Moen didn't play all the games in the playoffs, but did come in. We felt that would be the perfect fit there.

And we were lucky enough that the three guys have molded together. And they're a strong group. They're big men. They understand their responsibility to our team, and as I said before, we shudder to think where we would be without them.